War of Prey

25) From One Cage Into Another

"It was all the same; it was never going to change—until she came."

***

The way Gemini reacted cracked Rhea up. She's never done that to someone, but she can't blame him since she knows it is gross. "Why did you do that?"

She just glares at him. "So, why don't you talk?"

Rhea picks Ángel up and looks away from Gemini; it is very dull not talking. Gemini was right; Rhea isn't the quiet type, but sometimes, to survive, you have to be silent.

"Well...how about you go train with Bruce?" he asks, a little malice slipping through, almost like he doesn't want her to. She nods and stands from the bed, much to his annoyance. "I'll walk you out."

He joins her by the door and leads her out to what she assumes is Bruce's room. He bangs on the door. "Bruce! Get your lazy ass up and let's go!"

After much knocking, the door opens five minutes later to reveal a very angry Bruce in loose gray sweatpants. "What the hell, Gemini! It's seven a.m.! Go back to bed!"

"Flame wants to train; you wanna say no to her?" Gemini smiles. Rhea looks Bruce in the eyes and can't help but smile when his eyes widen, and he backs up, taking that as an invitation, Rhea steps into his room.

"Bruce, come back to bed!" a whiny voice calls. She sits up and screams when she sees Gemini and herself in the room. "Gemini! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Damn, Amy didn't think he was your type," Gemini snickers, looking at Rhea with amusement; Rhea has to smile back. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing people upset.

"Are you kidding me? You wake me up at seven just to tell me she wants to train? Go train with her yourself, I'm busy," Bruce spits.

"That's just gross, man. No wonder it took you so long to get out of bed, I'll let Flame deal with you."

"No! Both of you get out; I'm going back to bed. If you two would like to train at an ungodly hour, then, by all means, do it, but you are not going to interrupt my beauty sleep," he growls.

"Beauty sleep? You clearly need some of that..."

"Really, Gemini? Do I need to bash your head in to get the point?" Bruce steps closer to Gemini with a dead look in his eyes; Rhea steps in between Gemini and Bruce and growls at him. He shoves her out of the way, and before he can blink, her Dagger is embedded in his shoulder, and she is on top of him with her other pressed at his throat. "GET OFF ME YOU BITCH!"

"I'd watch what you say about her, Bruce, after all, you will be alone in a room with her for an hour every day for two months. I won't stop her from torturing you, and I know she'll enjoy it."

"All of you get out!" Amy hisses, wrapping the sheets around her body and marching to open the door.

"Babe—"

"No. Get. Out," she replies, ignoring Bruce's protests. He sighs but leaves the room, Gemini and Rhea following behind him. Rhea stays back with Gemini, not trusting herself to be near Bruce.

"Flame? Thanks for that," Gemini whispers a sweet smile on his lips, in return, Rhea glares at him and then smiles when he laughs. "You're quite fun, you know that? Even if you don't talk."

She flicks him in the forehead and walks back to her room, shutting the door before Gemini can come in. For the first time in so long, she can sit and draw, have her peace away from lusty men. Grabbing her charcoal and her notebook she sits on her bed and draws. She draws many things, her Daggers beside each other, glowing, the River Thames, Ángel, Amy's horrified face as she sat up in bed, Bruce's, and finally she drew Gemini. The image of him under her after she bit his ear, his shocked face, wide golden eyes, and a horrifying smile on his face. She blurs his outline, making him seem more of a ghost than a person. It feels so good to have charcoal back in her hands, the familiar weight of her notebook relaxing, her charcoal like an extension of her mind, her eyes that see everything. The pictures come to her easily and so does drawing them, it's as easy and simple as breathing. You don't think about it; you just do it.